Mississippi Approves Top-Rated Science Curriculum to Boost Middle School Learning

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass. – January 15, 2026 – The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has officially approved a new core science curriculum for its middle schools, giving its top endorsement to a program from Stile Education, a Curriculum Associates company. The curriculum, designed for students in Grades 6–8, earned a near-perfect score of 108 out of 110, the highest of any program evaluated, signaling a significant new resource for educators and a potential shift in how science is taught across the state.

This approval gives school districts across Mississippi the green light to adopt Stile's program, which aims to make science more engaging, locally relevant, and aligned with state academic goals.

A New Standard for Science Education

The endorsement is the result of a stringent evaluation process conducted through the MDE's High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) Gateway. This multi-stage rubric is designed to ensure that any approved curriculum is not only accurate but also effective and accessible. Materials are rigorously assessed across three gateways focusing on alignment with state standards, instructional design that promotes student learning, and the quality of teacher resources and assessments.

Stile's curriculum received its highest marks for its exceptional performance in categories of Alignment, Rigor, and Usability. This score affirms that the program is tightly aligned with the Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards (MCCRS) for Science, provides a challenging and coherent learning progression, and is designed for practical use in real-world classroom settings. The review process also awards bonus points for materials that specifically support preparation for the Grade 8 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP), an area where Stile demonstrated strength.

"Mississippi educators have a clear vision for science instruction that is rigorous, relevant, and rooted in local experience," said Kelly Sia, CEO of Curriculum Associates, in a statement. "We are honored that the MDE recognized Stile's exceptional quality and alignment. This approval reflects our shared mission to support teachers with research-based tools that help every student think like a scientist."

Tailored for the Magnolia State Classroom

A key feature of the newly approved curriculum is its unique blend of a globally recognized pedagogical approach with content specifically customized for Mississippi. Stile's program is built on a "phenomenon-based" learning model, which uses compelling real-world events and problems as the anchor for scientific inquiry. Instead of starting with abstract concepts, students begin by observing a phenomenon—such as the science behind global communication or the environmental impact of lithium mining—and are guided to ask questions, conduct investigations, and build explanations.

To make this approach resonate with local students, Stile has integrated Mississippi-specific examples and phenomena into its lessons. This localization ensures students can connect complex scientific principles to their own communities and environment, fostering a deeper, more personal understanding of the subject matter. The curriculum is designed as a seamless sequence of lessons that includes interactive digital simulations, hands-on labs, and collaborative projects, catering to diverse learning environments.

"Stile is about making science relevant and engaging," noted Kat Gentry, head of Stile USA. "Teachers will find a curriculum that's aligned, ready to use, and designed for real Mississippi classrooms. It brings science to life with local phenomena, strong teacher supports, and a mix of online, print, and hands-on materials that work in every setting."

Addressing Statewide Educational Challenges

The introduction of a highly-rated, comprehensive curriculum is particularly timely for Mississippi, which, like many states, faces persistent challenges in K-12 education. Recent reports have highlighted a significant teacher shortage, with science being one of the most difficult subjects to staff. In some districts, this has led to classrooms being led by long-term substitutes or teachers working outside their area of expertise.

Furthermore, funding limitations can impact the availability of essential resources like science labs, potentially leaving students without the hands-on experience needed for college and career readiness. In this context, a curriculum that provides a complete, structured package with robust teacher support, professional development, and all necessary materials—both digital and physical—can be a critical lifeline. A well-designed program can help standardize the quality of instruction and alleviate some of the pressure on overworked educators, ensuring that students receive a high-quality science education regardless of local staffing or resource constraints.

By providing a ready-to-use, standards-aligned framework, Stile's program could empower teachers to deliver effective, inquiry-based instruction and help bridge gaps in student learning.

A Strategic Expansion for Curriculum Associates

This curriculum approval also marks a significant strategic victory for Stile's parent company, Curriculum Associates. The educational technology firm already has a substantial footprint in Mississippi, where its flagship i-Ready® assessment and personalized instruction platform is used by over 200,000 students in more than 80% of the state's districts.

The acquisition of Stile Education in July 2025 was a deliberate move by Curriculum Associates to expand its offerings beyond its core strengths in English language arts and mathematics. With this MDE approval, the company can now offer Mississippi districts a "connected system" of high-quality instructional materials across all three core subjects.

This integrated suite presents a compelling proposition for school administrators, who can streamline procurement, professional learning, and instructional coherence by partnering with a single, trusted provider. For a state already deeply invested in the i-Ready ecosystem, adding a top-rated, state-approved science curriculum from the same family of products is a logical and efficient step. The move solidifies Curriculum Associates' position as a dominant, full-service partner for Mississippi schools, weaving its products more deeply into the state's educational fabric and setting the stage for continued growth.